Castles in Scotland

What are the top 10 Castles in Scotland?

Last updated
10 months ago

From the incredible Edinburgh Castle and the eye-opening Balmoral Castle to the astonishing Stirling Castle, the fortifications of Scotland are absolutely mind-blowing places to discover. While first-time visitors may just want to hit the highlights, for those who wish to delve deeper into this list other unique sites to explore shouldn't be missed such as such as Rothesay Castle, Craigmillar Castle and Dumbarton Castle. With so many fascinating places to explore it’s not necessarily easy to select the very best castles of Scotland, but we’ve painstakingly contemplated, deliberated and meditated over this list and come up with our top recommendations as well as a few others worth exploring if you have more time.

One of Scotland’s oldest continuously inhabited houses, Dunrobin Castle is the largest in the Northern Highlands as well as one of the most picturesque. The oldest sections of the castle still standing were probably built in the late 1300s and Pictish stones can also still be found on the site. The castle was remodelled at the beginning of the 18th century giving it the structure that we see today. Resembling a French chateau, Dunrobin is the closest Scotland comes to ‘fairytale architecture’. The castle is open to the public between April and October and many of the 189 rooms are accessible, as are the exquisite 1,379-acre gardens, designed in the French formal style and modelled on the Palace of Versailles.

Set in the heart of the picturesque Scottish countryside, Caerlaverock is an impressive a medieval fortress which stands out for its unique triangular design and picturesque location, ensuring it ranks among Scotland’s most remarkable castles. With its triangular shape and imposing moat, it conjures up images of battles yonder. And there were many; due to its strategic position near the English border, Caerlaverock was the site of on-going warfare between the two crowns. Visitors can gain a lesson in siege warfare as well as viewing fascinating reconstructions of medieval siege engines. For the kids there even a castle-themed adventure park to provide extra entertainment!

A royal residence, a vital stronghold and an iconic structure, Edinburgh Castle is probably the most famous castle in Scotland. It initially became a royal castle in the Middle Ages and has since been the site of many significant events in royal and military history. Today, visitors can explore the history of this iconic fortress through a series of guided tours and exhibitions. Amongst its many attractions are the Scottish National War Memorial and National War Museum, the Mons Meg and the Great Hall. Royal exhibitions include The Honours of Scotland jewels which, along with Scotland’s coronation stone, the Stone of Destiny, can be found in the castle’s Crown Room. Edinburgh Castle is also home to the oldest building in the city, the 12th-century St Margaret’s Chapel.

A stunning medieval fortification set in the beautiful Scottish countryside, Glamis has a fascinating history as well as a strong connection to the British royal family. The castle traces its roots back to the 14th century and was extensively renovated in the 17th and 18th centuries taking on the trappings of a French chateau and leaving much of what can be seen by visitors today. Glamis is steeped in history, with a number of fascinating stories, myths and legends associated with it mostly notably that it's said to have provided inspiration for the setting in Shakespeare’s Macbeth. The connection with the current royal family is more recent, with Glamis being the childhood home of Elizabeth the Queen Mother. Indeed it was here that Princess Margaret was born in 1930. As well as the castle itself, visitors can wander the scenic ornamental gardens and there’s a nature trail within the grounds, providing an opportunity to see the true beauty of the Scottish countryside.

Stirling Castle is an iconic royal palace and stronghold, seen to represent Scottish independence and a focal point for many of the most important events in Scotland’s history. It was the site of royal deaths, the subject of a tug of war during the Wars of Scottish Independence and even the scene of an assassination. During the Wars of Scottish Independence, the castle was fought over by some of the most famous figures in Scottish and English history, including William Wallace and Robert the Bruce. The current incarnation mostly dates from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. Some of the highlights include the King’s Old Building, the Great Hall and the Royal Palace. Visitors can tour with an audio guide or with a tour guide and there are a range of exhibitions to see.

Balmoral Castle has been the official Highlands home of the British royal family since the reign of Queen Victoria. Having fallen in love with the Highlands after their first visit in 1842, it was in fact Queen Victoria and Prince Albert who built Balmoral Castle between 1853 and 1856. Today, parts of Balmoral Castle and its grounds are open to the public, with audio guides available detailing the workings of the estate and its history. There are also a series of exhibitions at Balmoral Castle related to the royal family.

The dramatic cliff-top ruins of Tantallon Castle are quite a sight and this once-powerful fortress is a popular draw with those who delight in picturesque history. Originally the imposing medieval stronghold of the influential Douglas Earls the castle served that purpose for around three centuries. Indeed, Tantallon would survive numerous sieges and bore the scars of battle well but ultimately met its fate when it was utterly devastated by the army of Oliver Cromwell in 1651.

Craigmillar Castle was built from the fourteenth century and is now a pretty and well-preserved medieval ruin. Visitors to Craigmillar can explore several aspects of the fourteenth century structure, including an impressive tower. There is also a maze of medieval tunnels which are fascinating to discover. In terms of the history of the castle itself, once of the most famed aspect was that it played host to Mary Queen of Scots when she was recovering from an illness. It is also the namesake of a pact between several noblemen to murder her husband, Lord Darnley.

Bothwell Castle is a stunning ruined medieval stronghold near Glasgow and one of the most celebrated of its kind. It was subjected to several sieges through the centuries and was captured on several occasions. The most famous of these attacks occurred in 1301 when Edward I laid siege to Bothwell with a force of almost seven thousand men. In 1362, Bothwell passed to the aristocratic Black Douglas family by marriage and they rebuilt it. Whilst not adhering to the structure of the Morays, the new castle was still formidable and parts of it - notably its chapel - can still be seen.

The pretty ruins of Hailes Castle date back to the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, making it one of the oldest of its kind in Scotland. Free to enter at all reasonable times, it can be fun to explore the castle ruins and in particular view its two vaulted pit-prisons. It is also said that Mary Queen of Scots stayed here on several occasions.

Full list of the very best Scottish Castles

As well as the best known castles in Scotland, there’s a host of other amazing places to explore. From sites such as Tantallon Castle to fascinating locations such as Lochleven Castle, if you have the time to visit these incredible places you’ll find you have a wealth of things to see and do. Our advice? Don’t ignore them, because the full list of fortifications in Scotland can be among the very best to visit! That's why we've gone beyond the top ten and brought you a selection of these hidden gems below.

We’re constantly expanding this list of Scottish castles and if you do notice any omissions then please feel free to contact us with further information and our editorial team will look to expand this collection further.

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